Thursday

The Flip side

I'm reading my Bible this morning and after asking the Lord to not let me be conformed to this world but to transform me by the renewing of my mind (something I find I need to pray more and more often) He has me read this:

Psalm 126

5Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

I thought about this guy living after Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians going around sowing seed for grain with the smoldering ruins of the City of God's Chosen People in the background. This guy has little to look forward to. But he has two things he has to do: eat and obey the Lord. The Lord told those who were left after Jerusalem was destroyed to sow seed. He had Jeremiah buy a field while Jerusalem was under siege! Why does God do that! Nevermind that we reap with songs of joy...why do we have to sow in tears? I'm tired of this whole planet either sowing in tears or ignoring those who weep.

But weep we must because this world, this time, this earth will not be like this forever. I kept reading this morning and ended up in Luke 18.

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "

6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (italics mine)

Ok. So I know that God will bring about justice. But His chosen ones still cry out day and night. Jesus tells me that "they will get justice, and quickly" so that must mean soon, right? Ah! But what is 'soon' to God? A week? 70 years? 1000 years? And then this question, "when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?"

Arh! Faith! Why is mine so weak? Why does that guy sow seed in with tears? Because he has faith that God will bring about good from his labor, that God will bring a harvest. So, in faith, he sows. What do I have to sow? What do you have? The gospel! We, in tears or joy, feast or famine, day or night have the greatest seed of all. And we're the only people who can do it. God has not given us reinforcements. No backup plan. God has, in a mind-blowing demonstration of humility, given that task to us. And He has given His Spirit to us to 'help'; like God needs help. And I am to pray. A lot. And all the time. Why? Because that's what faith does. It prays. It sows. It weeps. Yes! Faith weeps! It weeps and sows and prays all in one breath. Not because we don't trust God but because we do. Oh that I would sow more in tears that I would experience reaping songs of joy. I don't want more tears. Trust me. I do want to sow more in tearful times.

"Will He find faith on earth?"

Why ask that question? The answer terrifies me: because maybe He won't. I pray because I have faith...a tiny little mustard seed of it, but it's faith. I sow because I have faith. I have faith because God is the God who grows seeds of tears into huge crops of joy, who brings justice to his chosen ones. It is He who brings what we sow to fruition and it is He who will return again some day (oh Lord, come quickly) to make all things new. Sow, weep, pray with me. Wherever the Lord has you; as a farmer in a field of desolation, as a desperate widow. Let's trust Him together. Why? Because Jesus tells us this in verse 27 "What is impossible with men is possible with God."